Health & Safety

Live Updates: Coronavirus In North Carolina (Week Of March 9)

by WFDD Staff

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. (NIAID-RML via AP)

March 13, 2020

7:45 p.m.

Mayor Allen Joines has declared a State of Emergency in Winston-Salem as of 7:00 p.m. A press release states that, "the declaration makes the city eligible for emergency funds that may become available from federal or state agencies to cope with the disease and its impact in Winston-Salem."

Forsyth County has also declared a State of Emergency.

5:40 p.m.

Guilford County has declared a State of Emergency, effective Friday. The declaration allows local government to streamline administrative processes and "be ready to receive state and federal assistance."

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan has declared a State of Emergency, in conjunction with Guilford County, to be effective at 5:30 p.m., Friday, March 13, in response to COVID-19.

5:30 p.m. 

The North Carolina Division of Prisons is suspending visitation to all the state's prisons effective Monday, March 16.

4:30 p.m.

North Carolina's top lawyer and law enforcement officer is warning residents about scams related to the coronavirus. The Attorney General's Office expects the number of these will continue to grow as more coronavirus cases are confirmed.

The agency says scammers are trying a number of tactics to exploit people's fears about COVID-19.

They've received more than two-dozen complaints about potential fraud. Many are related to price gouging for items like groceries, hand sanitizer, and gasoline.

Attorney General Josh Stein says people also need to be aware of fake charities and cautious of anyone soliciting a miracle cure or vaccination. He says email scams are also a concern.

“There was one that was promoting they were the web page of Johns Hopkins, which had a map of the outbreak, of the coronavirus across the country, and if you clicked on the map it released a malware into your system and sucked up all of the personal, private data that was on the computer network,” he says.

Stein urges anyone who believes they're a victim of a coronavirus scam to call his office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or report it online.

4:15 p.m.

Governor Roy Cooper's recent announcement encouraging people to avoid gatherings of more than 100 people presents unique challenges to the state's legal system. Thousands of citizens enter North Carolina's courthouses every day, and the new guidelines are forcing state's attorneys to weigh the benefits of court services against the need to protect citizens from exposure to the coronavirus. 

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley says most North Carolinians with court dates in the next several weeks are getting a temporary delay in their cases.

"Effective Monday, March 16, I'm ordering that most district and superior court cases be continued for at least 30 days," says Beasley. "This will allow us to drastically reduce the exposure caused by crowded sessions of court which often bring hundreds of people at a time into our courthouses.”

Beasley adds people who believe they have been exposed to the coronavirus should avoid coming to court. She's also encouraging judicial figures to be liberal in using their discretion to grant relief to those who are unable to appear.

4:00 p.m.

Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas are suspending disconnection for nonpayment effective immediately. 

3:15 p.m

The Arts Based School in Winston-Salem is closing due to the coronavirus effective March 16th until further notice. There are no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 within the community at this time.

2:00 p.m.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities is suspending all water account disconnects due to non-payment, effective immediately and until further notice. The city notes that this is a temporary grace period and customers will still be responsible for payment of their total water bill.

12:15 p.m.

The City of Greensboro is modifying its operating hours effective Monday, March 16. For the week of March 16-20, hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, the City is suspending interruption to past due water service accounts, through the end of March.

10:15 a.m.

RiverRun International Film Festival has announced the cancellation of its 2020 festival. In a press release, they said the organization hopes to schedule a few mini-fests in the coming year to highlight some of the films that were part of this year's program. They are offering multiple options for those who have already purchased tickets.  

March 12, 2020

8:30 p.m.

The City of Winston-Salem announced in a press release Thursday evening that departments have been instructed to cancel all "non-essential city-sponsored events that involve public participation." Business travel for employees has been limited, and the city is stepping up its routine for sanitizing city facilities. Though no city employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the release says that two have been directly or indirectly exposed and are in self-quarantine.  

7:45 p.m.

Guilford County Schools has announced that it is canceling all student field trips and travel and restricting visitor and volunteer access to schools to parents and guardians only. The school district is also canceling and/or postponing events of 100 people or more according to Thursday's new guidelines from Governor Cooper. The school system says that all "parent-oriented meetings" and district- and school-based meetings will be moved to conference calls or online formats. 

6:00 p.m.

The High Point Furniture Market Authority has decided to postpone this year's Spring Market, scheduled for April 25-29, "until a later date in early June, should conditions improve." The High Point Market has only been canceled once in its history, in 1942 due to World War II. 

The decision was difficult, as any change in date could have tremendous economic repercussions on our industry and community, as well as the countless small businesses whose livelihoods relies on High Point Market, but underscores our shared concern and well-being of the citizens in our community and our industry partners. - Dudley Moore, Jr., chairman of the High Point Market Authority's board of directors  

5:00 p.m.

The number of coronavirus cases in North Carolina continues to grow. As of now, there are 15, and two of those are in Forsyth County.

Local health officials say both people are isolated at home and doing well. The cases are related to travel outside of the United States. Forsyth County officials didn't release further details citing privacy reasons.

But according to officials with North Carolina Health and Human Services, the cases involve a couple that had recently been on a cruise.

Joshua Swift is director of Forsyth's Public Health Department. He says they will conduct what's called contact tracing to contain any potential spread.

“We identify the individuals. We isolate the individuals for 14 days with this COVID-19 and then we do what's called contact tracing where we identify close contacts that they may have come in contact with,” he says.

Swift describes close contact as being within around 6 feet of a person with the virus for 10 minutes or longer.

He says some important things people can do to protect themselves include practicing good hygiene by washing hands frequently, sanitizing surfaces, and staying at home if sick.

4:15 p.m.

Governor Roy Cooper addressed the new COVID-19 cases in multiple counties and regions of North Carolina at a press conference. He outlined expanded recommendations for all North Carolinians to take effect Friday. The new guidance includes postponing all gatherings of over 100 people, encouraging employers and companies to allow employees to work remotely when possible, advising sick people to stay at home, and for all individuals to remain vigilant about monitoring for symptoms. Cooper said he knows many are concerned about the impacts of these guidelines but said today's actions aim to lessen the long-term effects on the economy and health of North Carolinians.     

4:00 p.m.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has suspended all athletics events starting Friday night and running through April 6 amid concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus that has become a global pandemic. The NCHSAA announced the decision Thursday. It included the indefinite postponement of the men's and women's prep basketball state championship games set for Saturday in Raleigh and Chapel Hill. The suspension of athletics includes workouts, practices and games. The NCHSAA says its board of directors “will assess this situation regularly over the next few weeks.”

3:30 p.m.

The ACC announced today it will cancel the remainder of the 2020 ACC Tournament. 

12:30 p.m. 

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools are suspending their volunteer program and limiting visitors on all campuses. Parents visiting children will be asked to spend time with them in private areas on campus. If the district decides to close schools, they say they are prepared to provide mobile devices and internet hotspots, for families that need them.

Do you have questions about coronavirus in North Carolina? Submit your questions here, and we'll contact you if we look into yours.

 

12:00 p.m.

The Winston Salem Chamber of Commerce is postponing its State of the Economy event originally scheduled for April 2. All other Chamber events through April 15th will also be postponed.

11:45 a.m.

North Carolina's top public health official says the number of people in the state testing positive for COVID-19 has grown to 12. State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson announced the four additional cases Thursday while at a task force meeting about the state's response to COVID-19. Two of those cases are in Forsyth County.

State officials say they are in a better position today than yesterday in terms of testing and collaboration. Gov. Roy Cooper says it's a rapidly evolving situation and officials are learning minute by minute.

“I know there are other results from other parts of the state that we need to confirm, so there will be additional cases and this epidemic is going to get worse before it gets better,” he says.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Cooper already declared a state of emergency earlier this week and said he expected to provide more guidance to the public later Thursday.

Recommendations on mass gatherings and work environments already have been released. The University of North Carolina system is making plans for campuses to shift to online classes later this month. Wake Forest Univerity and Elon University will also suspend in-person classes. 

9:45 a.m.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting 12 cases of COVID-19 in the state. The latest cases include two in Forsyth County and one in Johnston County. A Durham resident tested positive in another state.  

Governor Roy Cooper's Novel Coronavirus Task Force is meeting this morning to continue response efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

March 11, 2020

9:00 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

Wake Forest University will suspend all in-person classes, both in Winston-Salem and Charlotte, until further notice. Students, who are currently on spring break, are urged not to return to campus if possible, and staff are to consult with supervisors.

Classes are canceled from Monday, March 16, through Sunday, March 22, so that faculty and staff can plan for academic continuity and prepare for remote delivery of course instruction. Classes will resume remotely on Monday, March 23.

8:00 p.m.

The ACC will conduct upcoming tournament games with only essential staff and limited attendance. 

6:25 p.m.

Area colleges and universities are releasing plans for coronavirus procedures on campus, expanding spring break and requiring remote instruction: 

 

5:30 p.m.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools are canceling field trips and staff travel due to the threat of coronavirus until further notice. 

3:03 p.m.

Concerns over coronavirus were addressed at a public safety news conference this morning in Winston-Salem. 

Statewide, seven North Carolina residents have tested positive for COVID-19. So far, there are no identified cases in Forsyth County. County officials are working with the state department of health and human services, major healthcare providers, emergency management, and others to prepare for future cases. 

"We're encouraging people to stay home when they're sick. These are things that we encourage people to do anytime during cold and flu season or throughout the year," says Forsyth County Public Health Director Joshua Swift. "There's no need to wear masks — the general public do not need to wear masks or stockpile them. Masks should be worn by people who are sick to prevent the spread of infection."

3:00 p.m.

Triad area hospitals have announced changes in their visitation policy with the goal of containing the spread of coronavirus. 

Both Cone Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health suggest that those who are not immediate family refrain from visiting hospitals unless absolutely necessary. 

Families with special circumstances such as a critically ill or injured family member will be addressed by hospital staff on a case-by-case basis. 

Otherwise, the hospitals encourage family and loved ones to use other forms of support such as phone calls and video chat.

10:16 a.m.

The Guilford County School system is solidifying preparations for the potential spread of the coronavirus.

Guilford County school leaders shared their plan with the Board of Education at a meeting Tuesday night.

Any confirmed case of COVID-19 in a Guilford County school would result in the closure of that school, with special cleaning prior to reopening. The board voted to give school officials advance authorization for cleaning contracts of $150,000 or more.

If cases popped up at multiple schools, it could lead to a district-wide closure.

 

March 10, 2020

1:45 p.m. 

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state emergency Tuesday due to the coronavirus and his administration urged people over age 65 and medically fragile residents to avoid large gatherings.

Cooper's declaration gives state government broader powers and monetary flexibility. The governor's statewide health recommendations also include limiting visitors to nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

Seven North Carolina residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since the first was announced last week. Six are from Wake County, leading state officials to make more restrictive recommendations for the county that includes Raleigh, the state capital.

Wake County employers, which include state agencies, should favor technology so employees can work from home, generous sick-leave policies and staggered arrival and departure times. Organizers of large events for Wake County also should consider canceling or postponing them, state health department Secretary Mandy Cohen said.

“These recommendations can mean inconvenience, loss of income or disappointment," Cooper told reporters. “But they are based on the best medical advice and they will be lifesaving. We do want people to take this seriously.”

 

7:59 a.m.

North Carolina health officials say five more people have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to seven statewide. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services says all five new patients are from Wake County and each traveled to Boston in late February to attend a conference. Their tests are being sent to federal authorities for final confirmation. The department said in a statement Monday that several cases of COVID-19 across the country have been linked to the conference. North Carolina reported two earlier, unrelated cases: one in Wake County and another in Chatham County.

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